Objective      To determine the role of dihydromyricetin (DHM) on palmitic acid-induced pyroptosis in vascular endothelial cells.  Methods      The endothelial EA. hy926 were treated with different concentrations of palmitic acid (PA) for 24 h

or pretreated with DHM of different concentrations (0.1

0.5

1.0 μmol/L) for 12 h following cultured for another 24 h with 200 μmol/L PA addition to the medium. Then cell viability

lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and caspase-1 activity were measured by CCK-8 assay

CytoTox 96--Non-Radioactive Cytotoxicity Assay and Caspase-1 Activity Assay Kit

respectively. PI staining were employed to detect the cell deaths by fluorescence microscopy

and then the expression levels of intracellular proteins caspase-1

IL-1β and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) were detected by Western blotting.  Results      After treated with PA

the cell viability was decreased markedly

and the LDH release

PI staining

caspase-1 activity and the protein levels of caspase-1

IL-1β and ICAM1 were increased significantly (P0.05). DHM pretreatment significantly  increased cell viability

decreased LDH release and caspase-1 activity (P0.05)

and reduced the expression of caspase-1

IL-1β and ICAM-1 when compared with the PA treatment group (P0.05).  Conclusion      PA might induce endothelial cell pyroptosis

and DHM exerts inhibitory effect in the process.